Liverpool Airport workers vote to strike
11.11.07
Staff at Liverpool Airport have voted overwhelmingly to strike after refusing a 'final' pay offer. If the strike goes ahead, it will shut down the airport as more than 80% of staff, including firefighters, engineers, airside safety and air traffic control staff, have backed a ballot.
The staff were balloted by the GMB and Unite (formerly the T&G) unions, after they refused to accept a deal from airport management that would have been worth 3.8% backdated to April, rising to 4%, back-dated from the beginning of October.
Members of the GMB union, which has about 100 members at the airport whose jobs include running the site's fire service, backed industrial action nine to one. The unions want at least a 5% rise and, although they are still talking with management, a pre-Christmas strike is now on the agenda.
Airport bosses said they were 'disappointed' the deal had been rejected but are still hoping industrial action can be averted through further talks. Neil Pakey, the airport's managing director, said: 'The desire to resolve this dispute is naturally stronger than ever and I remain confident that further talks due to take place soon will see continued progress being made.'
Despite the ballot result, union chiefs confirmed dialogue would continue. In a joint statement, Eddie Parker, GMB regional organiser and Carol Devereux, Unite regional organiser added: 'There is no doubt that lengthy talks that the Airport Company has undertaken with unions are helping to resolve this dispute. However we need to address the outstanding issues.'
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